Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31293
Hints and Tips by Senf
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BD Rating – Difficulty 3*Â – Enjoyment 5*
A very good Thursday morning from Winnipeg where yesterday I visited my GP for my annual ‘MOT Inspection’ and the verdict is that, as long as I keep taking the tablets, I am fit for purpose for another 12 months.
Apologies for the false start yesterday but there was nothing to see in terms of hints and the necessary ‘adjustment’ was quickly made. I have given myself a severe talking to and it will not happen again, at least not until the next time, as I do not want to lose my Christmas bonus! 
For me, and I stress for me© (I have to say that for Terence), there is no doubt that this is the work of the Master of Brevity but he seems to have upped the ante compared to recent weeks. The usual one word clues and answers in the Quickie, and an appearance from the Queen, Ray T’s swEetheart, but not the plain sweetheart, in the back pager with an average of 5.06 words per clue. Also, like Dada, Ray T still seems to be making occasional use of a personal thesaurus. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
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Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3377 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where, like most of the UK (or is it only England?), we are extremely hot and humid but only for three days with the ‘feels like’ somewhere in the high-40s/low 50s. Then, on Tuesday, we are forecast to return to pleasantly warm and humid with the ‘feels like’ in the low 30s.
Then yesterday, there was the ‘oddity’ of watching the England oval ballers playing an ‘away’ game (yes, I do know why) in Everton FC’s magnificent new stadium. But, I suppose ‘going North’ to play in Liverpool counts as an away game for the 15-a-side national team!
For me, and I stress for me,© Dada quirkily friendly with perhaps some lateral thinking required with one long ‘un, six anagrams (one partial), one lurker, and no homophones, all in a very asymmetric 31 clues; with 15 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid you should/might be able to get some of the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
If it is some time since you read, or if you have never read the instructions in RED below the hints then please consider doing so before commenting today as my electronic blue pencil is at the ready and the Naughty Step is OPEN!
Continue reading “ST 3377 (Hints)”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3376 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where I express great thanks to Mr K for resolving issues to fend off Chinese bots and other DDoS attacks in the middle of my night which is why my blog is a little late this morning, it still is the middle of my night, and if you notice any errors have a Mars Bar and a 48.
For me, and I stress for me,© Dada symmetrically not so friendly today with two long ‘uns, six anagrams with five partials (I might have mis-counted), two lurkers (don’t forget the ‘if all else fails . . . ‘), and no homophones, all in an symmetric 28 clues; with 14 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid you should/might be able to get some of the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
If it is some time since you read, or if you have never read the instructions in RED below the hints then please consider doing so before commenting today as my electronic blue pencil is at the ready and the Naughty Step is OPEN!
Continue reading “ST 3376 (Hints)”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31281
Hints and Tips by Senf
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BD Rating – Difficulty 1.5*Â – Enjoyment 5*
A very good Thursday morning from Winnipeg where, oh dear, after several weeks of suggestions ‘floating around’ news media and the internet, it was confirmed yesterday that, starting next year, Canada will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, oh dear again!
For me, and I stress for me© (I have to say that for Terence), there is no doubt that this is the work of a very benevolent Master of Brevity. The usual one word clues and answers in the Quickie, and an appearance from the Queen, Ray T’s swEetheart, but not the plain sweetheart, in the back pager with an average of 5.25 words per clue. Also, like Dada, Ray T still seems to be making occasional use of a personal thesaurus. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
Continue reading “DT 31281”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3375 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where today begins a ‘run’ of three ‘close together’ blogging milestones for me which will end in mid-September. Today is my 600th blog overall – around 80% Sundays and the rest SPPs and weekday back pagers except for, as far as I can recall, and reworking a film title from 1960 starring Melina Mercouri, Never on Monday.
Another new, for me, meteorological term – Western Canada is under a Rex Block; don’t ask me to explain it as I have no idea other than we can expect thunderstorms today and tomorrow! Life was so much easier when Michael Fish mistakenly denied the existence of a hurricane!
For me, and I stress for me,© after a number of symmetric weeks Dada asymmetrically quite friendly today with one long ‘un, eight anagrams with three partials, one lurker (with one of the usual indicators), and one homophone, all in an asymmetric 29 clues; with 15 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid you should/might be able to get some of the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
If it is some time since you read, or if you have never read the instructions in RED below the hints then please consider doing so before commenting today as my electronic blue pencil is at the ready and the Naughty Step is OPEN!
Continue reading “ST 3375 (Hints)”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3374 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg on this day of the Summer Solstice for which I timed the publishing of the blog to be the exact time, 9:24am BST, of the Solstice, although WordPress and the Internet in general may have ‘interfered’ with that by a minute or two. Anyway, from here, it’s all downhill to fog, ice, frost, rain, snow, and heaven knows what else!
For me, and I stress for me,© thankfully, after the brain mangling from the NTSPP, a very pleasant Dim Sum lunch and an afternoon nap put me in the right frame of mind for Dada being quite friendly with extreme quirkiness. A puzzle of two halves split diagonally, four long ‘uns, back up to eight anagrams (four partials, one reversed), one lurker, but no homophones, all in an economically symmetric 28 clues; with 14 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid you should/might be able to get some of the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
If it is some time since you read, or if you have never read the instructions in RED below the hints then please consider doing so before commenting today as my electronic blue pencil is at the ready and the Naughty Step is OPEN!
Continue reading “ST 3374 (Hints)”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31269
Hints and Tips by Senf
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BD Rating – Difficulty **Â – Enjoyment *****
A very good Thursday morning from Winnipeg where yesterday, I enjoyed watching England’s first game in the World Cup although it seemed to a be, as the saying goes, a game of two halves. Canada play Qatar at 5 o’clock this afternoon.
For me, and I stress for me© (I have to say that for Terence), there is no doubt that this is the work of a very benevolent Master of Brevity with some lateral thinking required. The usual one word clues and answers in the Quickie, and an appearance from the Queen, Ray T’s swEetheart, but not the plain sweetheart, in the back pager with an average of 5.09 words per clue. Also, like Dada, Ray T still seems to be making occasional use of a personal thesaurus. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
Continue reading “DT 31269”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3373 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where, after violent storms on Tuesday and Wednesday, it has cooled down considerably to the point that I have considered retrieving The Red Scarf from Summer storage!
For me, and I stress for me,© thankfully Dada quite friendly with quirkiness here and there. After zero anagrams last week he has included four (three partials) this week, but no lurkers or homophones, all in an economically symmetric 28 clues; with 14 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid you should/might be able to get some of the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
If it is some time since you read, or if you have never read the instructions in RED below the hints then please consider doing so before commenting today as my electronic blue pencil is at the ready and the Naughty Step is OPEN!
Continue reading “ST 3373 (Hints)”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3372 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where Summer continues, even though it does not start for another two weeks, with a risk of thunderstorms and tornadoes!
For me, and I stress for me,© Dada very quirkily friendly with some lateral thinking required! OK all you anagram haters just for you there aren’t any! Four long uns, one lurker, and three homophones, all in an economically symmetric 28 clues; with 14 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid you should/might be able to get some of the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
If it is some time since you read, or if you have never read the instructions in RED below the hints then please consider doing so before commenting today as my electronic blue pencil is at the ready and the Naughty Step is OPEN!
Continue reading “ST 3372 (Hints)”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31257
Hints and Tips by Senf
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BD Rating – Difficulty **Â – Enjoyment *****
A very good Thursday morning from Winnipeg where thunderstorms are becoming more frequent!
For me, and I stress for me© (I have to say that for Terence), Dream Team Thursday seems to be becoming a distant memory but there is no doubt that this is the work of a very benevolent Master of Brevity with some lateral thinking required. The usual one word clues and answers in the Quickie, and an appearance from the Queen, Ray T’s swEetheart, and the plain sweetheart in the back pager with an average of 4.9 words per clue. Also, like Dada, Ray T still seems to be making occasional use of a personal thesaurus. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
Continue reading “DT 31257”
